Cats love to sneak around and sniff the unknown. Here and there people like to nibble experimentally. What about dahlias? Are these tropical beauties poisonous and therefore dangerous for cats?
Are dahlias poisonous to cats?
Dahlias are not toxic to cats and do not pose any danger. However, conventionally grown dahlias as cut flowers can contain pesticides that can be harmful to cats. Be careful to avoid poisonous lookalikes such as chrysanthemums.
Can cats get poisoned by dahlias?
Cats cannot poison themselves from dahlias. The reason is that all dahlias, regardless of the variety, are non-toxic. This applies to both cats and humans as well as other pets such as dogs.
Are cats interested in dahlias?
Outdoor cats are generallynot interested in dahlias, but rather look for plants that they know and can use for their digestion.
Cats that are kept exclusively indoors occasionally findinterest in dahlias as cut flowers in a vase, as there are often not many other plants and things to do. If the dahlias are at home, the cat could sniff them and nibble on them.
Why can florist dahlias be poisonous to cats?
If you purchased your dahlias from a florist, you should be careful because they can containtoxic substances. Dahlias that are grown conventionally to later be sold as cut flowers can be treated with pesticides. Even if dahlias are otherwise non-toxic and edible, in this case they are poisonous to cats and poisoning can occur.
How does dahlia poisoning manifest itself in cats?
Poisoning by pesticides on dahlias can manifest itself in cats asdiarrheaandvomiting. Since the animals are usually good sniffers and listen to their instincts, they only ingest small amounts in the event of an incident and the symptoms of poisoning are limited.
Which poisonous counterparts of dahlias are there for cats?
Although dahlias are non-toxic to cats, their counterparts, theChrysanthemums, can contain toxic substances depending on the variety. Therefore, as a cat owner, be careful not to plant such plants in your garden or put them in a vase on the table. The house cats could poison themselves from the chrysanthemums, which are confusingly similar to dahlias. At home, opt for real dahlias or other cut flowers such as marigolds and daisies from the garden.
Tip
Caution is better than risking poisoning
Even if a purchased bouquet of dahlias is very decorative and brightens up the apartment, as a cat owner you should not place such commercially available flowers, which may contain insecticides etc., within the reach of cats. Also keep in mind that cats are often curious and will jump on tables to get to the interesting looking dahlias.
